Cotton-picker.



T. E. STRAUS.

COTTON PIOKER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4, 1911.

1,067,282, Patented July 15, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

THEODORE E. STRAUS, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WOR'IHINGTON COTTON-HARVESTER COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE E. STRAUS, a citizen of theUn'ited States,'residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Pickers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in cotton pickers in that class particularly in which a tool held in the hand of the operator is presented to the cotton on the plant, the nozzle containing rotating picker teeth which pick off the cotton from the husk or bur, the'cot-ton being delivered by suction to a suitable receptacle. In this type of cotton picker, there is usually provided a hand tool to be manipulated by the operator, which has a head with a mouth or nozzle to be presented to the cotton plant. This month leads ogt of a suction pipe through which a current of air is drawn by a suitable fan or the like, thus sucking in the cotton which is picked off by picker teeth or fingers located in the mouth of the tool, and rotated by suitable gearing which is adapted to be operated by flexible shafting connected or disconnected at will. In the use of cotton pickers of this character, it has been found almost impossible in practice to prevent portions of the husk, leaves, stalk, and the like, from being sucked into the mouth of the nozzle, which is objectionable if they pass with the cottcnthrough the suction pipe into the receptacle, rendering it unclean and noninerchantable, and is also objectionableby reason of the danger of clogging the action of the picker teeth and-other mechanism.

The object of my invention, in addition to the separation of the cotton from the husk, is to provide means for engaging and guiding the husk portions, twigs, and the like, so that they cannot enter the mouth of the nozzle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cotton picker with mechanical picking devices for engaging the cotton, with means for stripping the husks, burs and twigs from the mechanical picking devices, and independent means for stripping the cotton from said mechanical picking devices, whereby the cotton is carried in a substantially clean condition to the intake passage,

Specification of Letters Patent.

COTTON-PICKER.

Patented July 15, 1913.

Application filed December 4, 1911'. Serial No. 663,747.

bodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar side view; Fig. 3 is a detail front view of a portion of Fig. l, and showin a. cotton boll; and Fig. t is a perspective View of a modified form of tool, showing my invention applied thereto.

In the drawings I have shown merely the cotton picker nozzle or hand tool 1, which is provided with a head or casing 2, which head, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, projects laterally from the suction tube 7, through which the cotton is conveyed to the storage receptacle. Mounted in the head or casing are two drums or supports 3, 3. These drums, as clearly shown in the drawings, are located within the intake month of the nozzle at each side of a central intake passage through which the cotton or cotton fiber is carried to the head 2. Each of these drums is provided with a plurality of sets of picker fingers 4, which arepivoted to the drum, and are controlled by a: stationary cam, as is common in this type ofpickers. These fingers extend from the support be.- yond the mouth and into the intake passage,

so that the cotton fiber is engaged thereby and carried to said intake passage.

To strip the cotton fiber from the picker fingers or teeth, I have provided stripper plates 5 and 6, which'areseparated sufiiciently to aliow the teeth to pass beneath the plates and the cotton to be removed there'- from. The plates 6, (Lat each sideof the" picker head are substantially pgr'alle'l, thus forming an intake passage fo-r' thecotton;

These'yielding stripper pla'tes and the parthe intake passage and the pickerdrums,"

ticular arrangement of the same relative to per 36, form no part of the present inven tion, but the same are the invention of. Bruce Worthington and myself, and are Sll0WIl described and claimed in an application Serial No. 663,745, filedDecember 4th, 1911. The drums are rotated by suitablodriving means, as is common inthis type of picker.

vided the head with side plates 9, each of which is bent inwardly over the central portion of the nozzle and is formed with a lip 10. These'side plates contract the central opening of the nozzle, and also form inclined ledges which terminate in the shoulders at the-lips 10. The husks, burs, leaves or' small twigs engaged by the picker fingers will be carried against these inclined ledges of the plates 9, 9, and will be pushed along the same until the husks and twigs are moved out of the path'of the picker fingers.

' These inwardly projecting plates with the ledges and lips thereon, form stripping devices for removing the husks, leaves and twigs from the picker fingers, and allow the cot-ton fiber (which will be referred to hereinafter as cotton,) alone to be carried by the picker fingers to the intake passage, where it is stripped from the mechanical picker fingers by the stripper plates 6. These plates 99, as above noted, are inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle.

'That is, the central plane extending transversely across thenoz zle, and longitudinally of the intake passage. The edges or the outer faces of the plates formed by the edges extend, longitudinally of the axis of the intake passage, beyond the outermost limit of travel of the points of the picking devices, at points in front of the intake pass sage and also at points adjacent the intake passage oneach picking side thereof. These inclined faces of the stripping plates 9-9 also, if projected, cross the path of travel of the points of the picking devices at points at opposite sides of the picking nozzle, and also at points where'ithe active faces of the picking devices are substantially at right angles to a line tangent to the edges at said crossing point. By this particular construction of the stripper plates, the burs and twigs will be removed from the picker fin ers at one side the intake passage, and befbre said burs or twigs are carried into range of the suction of said intake passage. Said burs and twigs will also be removed from the picking fingers when said active faces of the picking devices are so posh tioncd that said burs and twigs may be readily released therefrom.

It will be noted that the active region of the picker lingers, therefore, is at one side of the central portion of the nozzle. in

other words, if the central portion of the nozzle is presented to the cotton plant, there will be no picking action, but only as first one side and then the other of the nozzle is brought into contact with the plant will the cotton be engaged by the mechanical picking means, and these side plates will, therefore, effectually prevent the husks, burs,

twigs and leaves from being carried into the nozzle by the mechanical picker fingers, which insures not only a clean picking of cotton, but also prevents the stopping of the suction passage by these hard objectionable parts. These functions are in part secured by the ledges being inclined outwardly to ward the center of the nozzle, and in part secured by the inwardly projecting portions 'of the plate which contract the opening into the nozzle directly in front of the intake passage.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have provided a cotton pick mg nozzle which has a central intake passage and said nozzle has two picking faces, which are independent of each other, and disposed on opposite sides of the intake passage, which picking faces are also inclined relative to each other. The stripper plates,

which extend longitudinally of the axis of the intake passage, beyond the path of move-- mentof the picker ngers, and which arealso bent inwardly over said intake passage, serve to divide the nozzle into two distinct separate picking regions, one on each side of the central intake passage. By this arrangement of nozzle, the operator may present firstone faceand then the other to the cotton plantby the simple turning of the nozzle about the longitudinal axis of the suction tube. If the firstpicker fails to stri the cotton entirely from the boll, the. second picker passing thereby will pick up the remainder of the cotton.

In Fig.4 I have shown a modification, in which the nozzle or mouth of the cotton picker is provided with a plate 9 having lips 10, arid with a single drum carrying picker teeth located at oncside of the intake to strip the husks and twigs from the mechanical picker fingers in the same manner as above described.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made, with out departing from the spirit of the invention, as set, forth in the appended claims.

passage. The plate 9 and the lips 10 serve Ill) . ing fingers extending therefrom beyond the said stripping means acts to remove the burs from the fingers as the cotton is stripped therefrom and carried into said int'ake passage.

2. .A cotton picking device including in combination, a suction nozzle comprising a casingprovided with an intake mouth and an intake passage leading therefrom, a movable support located in said. mouth on two diametrically opposite sides of said intake passage and having fingers extending there from beyond the mouth and into said intake passage, stripping means secured to said ca ing and extending outwardly therefrom in a direction longitudinally of the intake passage from a point adjacent the ends at each side and Within the outer limits of the travel of the picker fingers to the middle portion thereof beyond the outer limits of travel of the pickers, whereby the stripping means acts to remove the burs from said picking fingers as the cotton is stripped therefrom and carried into the intake passage.

3. A cotton picking device including in combination, a suction nozzle cmnprising a casing provided with an intake mouth and i an intake passage leading therefrom, a mow able support located in said mouth at: one side of said intake passage and having picking fingers extending therefrom beyond the mouth and into the intake pas age,-strippin'g means for said picking fingers, said stripping means being secured to the casing and gradually extending outwardly therefrom in a direction longitudinally of the intake passage from a point adjacent the ends of the sides of the casing and within the outer limits of travel of the picker fingers to the middle portion of the nozzle beyond the outer limits of the travel of the fingers, whereby said stripping means acts to remove the burs from the fingers as'the cotton is stripped therefrom and carried into said intake passage. and means located within the intake passage for stripping the cotton from said picking fingers.

4. A cotton picking device including in combination. a suction nozzle comprising a casing provided with an intake mouth and an intake passage leading therefrom, a movable support located in said mouth on two diametrically opposite sides of said intake passage and comprising fingers extending thciofrom beyond the mouth and into said intake passage, strhpping means secured to said casing and extending outwardly therefrom in a direction longitudinally of the intake passage from a point adjacent the ends at each side and within the outer limits of the travel of the picker fingers to the middle portion thereof beyond the outer limits of travel of the pickers, whereby the stripping means acts to remove the burs from said picking lingers as the cotton is stripped therefrom and carried into the intake passage. and means located within the intake passage for stripping the cotton from said picking fingers.

A cotton picking device having a silotion nozzle comprising a casing provided with an intake mouth and passage leading therefrom, a movable support located in said mouth on two diametrically opposite sides of said intake passage. and hax ing fingers extending beyond the mouth and into two remaining sides of the month. each gradually extending substantially in the planes thereof outwardly therefrom in a direction longitudinally of the intake passage, from a point adjacent the. ends of the side and within the outer limits of the travel of the picker fingers to the middle portion thereof. beyond the outer limits of the travel of the fingers. whereby the projecting means act to remove the burs from the path of the fingers as the cotton is vstripped therefrom and carried into the intake passage.

(3. A cotton picking device having a suctit 11 nozzle comprising a casing provided with an intake mouth and passage leading therefrom. a movable support l( ated in said mouth on two diametrically opposite sides of said intake passage. and having fingers extending therefrom beyond the mouth and into the passage. projecting means on each of the tworemaining sides of the month, each gradually extending substantially in i the planes thereof outwardly therefrom in a direction longitudinally of the intake passage. from a point adjacent the ends of the side and within the outer limits of the travel of the pi ker fingers to the middle portion thereof. beyond the outer limits of the travel of the fingers. whereby the projecting means act to remove the burs from the path of the fingers as the cotton is stripped therefrom and carried into the intake passage. and means located within saidintake passage for stripping the cotton fiber from the picking fingers.

7. A cotton picker, including in combination a nozzle, having a central suction intake passage, a rotating carrier at each side of said central suction passage. picker fingers mounted on each carrier, stripping plates at peach side of said nozzle. and extending in a i plane substantially parallel with the plane the passage. proje ting means on each of the i tof travel of said fingers, said stripping plates having their edges inclined. outwardly toward the center of the nozzle and extending, longitudinally of the intake passage beyond the path of travel of said picking devices, in front of said intake passage, and at points adjacent the intake passage on the picking sides thereof, whereby the burs and twigs engaging said edges will be stripped from the picking fingers.

A cotton picker, including in combination a nozzle, having a central suction intake passage, a rotating carrier at each side of said central suction passage, picker fingers mounted on each carrier, stripping plates at each side of said nozzle, and extending in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of travel of said fingers, said stripping plates having their edges inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle and extending, longitudinally of the intake passage, beyond the path of travel of said picking devices, in front of said intake passage, and at points adjacent the intake passage on the picking sides thereof, whereby the burs and twigs engaging said edges will be stripped from the picking fingers, and means located within said intake passage for stripping the cotton from said picking fingers.

9. A cotton picker, including in combination a nozzle, having a central suction intake passage, a rotating carrier at each side of said central suction passage, picker fingers mounted on each carrier, stripping plates at each side of said nozzle, and extending in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of travel of said fingers, said stripping plates having their edges inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle and extending, longitudinally of the intake passage, be yond the path of travel of said picking devices, in front of said intake passage, and at points adjacent the intake passage on the picking sides thereof,whereby the burs and twigs engaging said edges will be stripped from the picking fingers, said plates centrally of the nozzle having lips carried thereby, forming shoulders.

10. A cotton picker, including in combination a nozzle, having a central intake passage, rotating picker fingers, located atone side of said intake passage, stripper plates located at each sideof the nozzleand extending in the same general direction as a plane of rotation of said picker fingers, said plates having their edges inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle, said plates being hent imvardly over the intake passage, whereby the edges of said plates serve to strip the burs and twigs from the rotating picker fingers. i

11. A cotton picker, including in combination a nozzle, having a central intake passage, rotating picker fingers, located on upposite sides of saidintake passage, plates located at each side of the nozzle and ex' tending in the same general direction the plane of movement of said. picker fingers, the edges of said plates being inclined out-- wardly toward the center of the nozzle and bent inwardly over said intake passage, whereby said nozzle is divided so to provide two separate picking regions, located on opposite sides-of said intake passage.

12. Aeotton icker, including in combination a nozzle, aving a central intake passage, rotating picker fingers, located on opposite sides of said intake passage, plates located at each side of the nozzle and extending in the same general" direction as the plane of movement of said picker fingers, the edges of said plates being inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle and bent inwardly over said intake passage, whereby said nozzle is divided so as to provide two separate picking regions, located on oppositesides of said intake passage, and means located within said intake passage for stripping the cotton from said picker fingers.

13. A cotton picker, including in combi nation a nozzle, having a central intake passage, rotating picker fingers, located on opposite sides of said intake passage, plates located at each side of the nozzle and extending in the same general direction as the plane of movement of said picker fin,- gers, the edges of said plates being inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle and bent inwardly over said intake passage, whereby said nozzle is divided so as to provide two separate picking regions, located on opposite sides of said intake passage, said plates directly in front of said intake passage having outwardly bent. lips carried thereby, which lips form shoulders with the inclined edges of the plates.

14. A cottonpicker including in combination a nozzle, a central suction intake pas sage, said nozzle having two picking faces inclined relative to each other, toward the center of the nozzle, rotating carriers located on opposite sides of said intake passage, picker fingers mounted on said carriers, and stripping plates located. at each side of said nozzle 'anil extending in the same general direction with the plifiie of movement of said picker fingers, said plates having their edges inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle, said, plates being bent inwardly over the intake passage, whereby said nozzle is divided so as to provide two separate picking. regions, one on each side of said intake passage.

15. A cotton picker including in combination a nozzle, a central suction intake pa sage, said nozzle having two picking faves inclined relative to each other, toward the center of the nozzle, rotating carriers located on opposite sides of said intake passage,

picker fingers monnted on said carriers, stripping plates located at each side of said nozzle and extending in the same general direction as the plane of movement of said picker fingers, said plates having their edges inclined outwardly toward the center of the nozzle, said plates being bent inwardly over the intake passage, whereby said nozzle is divided so as to provide two separate picking regions, one on each side of said intake passagaand means located within said intake passage for stripping the cotton from the picker fingers.

16. A cotton picker including in combination, a suction nozzle having an intake mouth and an intake passage leading therefrom, movable supports located in said mouth on two diametrically opposite sides (Jf said intake passage and having fingers extending beyond the mouth and into said intake passage, devices located on opposite sides of said intake passage, said device's being shaped so as to extend outwardly toward the center of the nozzle and inwardly oversaid intake passage, whereby said nozzle is divided into two separate picking regions located on opposite sides of said intake passage, said'devices also serving to remove the burs from the icker fingers as the cotton is stripped there rom and carried to said intake passage. v

In testimon whereof Lifix my signature, in presence 0 two witnesses.

A. M. PARKINS, C. L. STURTEVANT. 

